Tongue-support



(No Model.)

P. G. WINNEK & J. W. BROWN.

TONGUE SUPPORT.

No. 353,906. Patented Dec. '7, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F REDER-IOK G. WINNEK AND JOHN 7. BROWN, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,906, dated December 7, 1886.

Application filed July 23, 1886. Serial No. 208,859. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK G. WIN- NEK and JOHN W. BROWN, citizens of the United States, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Tongue Supports, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to devices for supporting the tongue of a wagon or other vehicle, for relieving the team of the weight of the tongue and holding the end ofthe same from the ground when not in use.

Our improvements consist in the peculiar means hereinafter more particularly described for supporting the tongue'suppo'rting spring and relieving said spring from its supporting function, as shown in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents in vertical section the front portion of the running-gear of a wagon having our improved tongue-support. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged front sectional view of the supporting device as applied to the pivot of the tongue; Fig. 3, a vertical section of the same, and Fig. 4 shows in perspective the tongue-supportingdevice. Fig. 5showsaview with the tongue relieved of its spring-support. Fig. 6 shows the manner of inserting the clevisbolt in the spring-clip, and Fig. 7 shows the tongue-connection with the hounds in top view.

The hounds A are supported on the front axle, B, in any approved manner, and thepole or tongue 0 is pivoted between their forward ends by the bolt D. The pivoted end of the pole is cut away on each side, forming notches d, which coincide with the position of the tongue-bolt D. The upper ends of the arms of a swinging clevis, E, fit these notches, and are hooked to catch over and engage with the tongue-bolt D. The lower ends of the clevisarms are united by a cross-bar, 6, having an oblong opening, 6'. Above this clevis crossbar is a second cross-bar, f, which connects the arms 6 of the clevis. This second clevis-bar has a slot, f, which extends through one of its edges, for the purpose presently to be described. A bolt, G, passed though the openings in the clevis cross-bars e and f, is threaded on its upper end and provided with a nut, g,

and at its opposite end it has a T-head, g, which is adapted to engage ears h of the clip H,and connect the latter with the clevis. The lower side of the clip H is provided with an oblong opening, h, coinciding with the ears h. and sufficiently large to permit the passage of the T head of the bolt G, which head is passed therethrough when adjusting the bolt in the clip.

The tongue-supporting spring I is placed beneath the tongue, and extends to and has a bearing on the running-gear or axle B. The spring crosses the pivotal connection between the tongue and Vehicle, and is held in position by the clip H, which is adjustably connected thereto by a wedge, h or similar holding device. The ends of the springs bear upwardly on the tongue and axle, and are loosely connected therewith. The end adjacent the axle is held in place by a roller, J, journaled in bearings 7', depending therefrom in such manner that the spring has a free movementin the direction of its length. The opposite end of the spring is preferably secured to the tongue by a T-headed bolt, K, passed through a slot, k, in the end of the spring. In practice the tension of the spring is regulated by the handnut on the bolt, which varies the distance be-,

tween said spring and the tongue-pivot. As long as the nut is in engagement with the upper cross-bar of the clevis the spring will be under tension, and the outer end of the pole will be held free of the ground; but when it is desired to remove the tension from off the spring the bolt is disengaged from the upper clevis-bar and the nut brought in contact with the lower plate. In the latter case the outer end of the pole will rest upon the ground. By the construction just described it will be seen that the pole may haveafree up;and-down motion and the spring and its connections accommodate themselves to said movements without causing interference, and at the same time ho1d the outer end of the pole from the ground.

The ends of the clevis may be supported on extensions of the bolt D on each side of the hounds; butfor simplicity and economy in construction the manner shown and described is preferred.

The upper end of thebolt G may be disengaged from the upper clevis cross-bar, f, by a simple swinging motion of the clevis upon the tongue-bolt, which will cause the vertical bolt G to slip through the openingf in the edge of said upper clevis-bar, as will be readily seen in Fig. 5. in which case the spring 'will be relieved of the support of the tongue.

We claim- 1. The combination of the tongue and the running gear with atongue-supporting device, consisting of the spring I, the clevis E, having the cross-bar 6, provided with a slot, 6 and the cross-bar f, provided with a slot, f, the T-headed bolt G, passing through said slots and adjustably connected to said clevis, and a suitable clip for connecting the head of said bolt to said spring, whereby the bolt can be turned to one side to .relieve the supporting function of the spring.

2. The combination. with the running-gear and the tongue pivotally connected therewith, of a clevis having hooked or eyed arms and engaged with said pivotal connection, avertical bolt, G, engaging with said clevis, a clip pivotally connected with the head of the bolt, and a spring adj ustably connected with the clip and bearing on the under side of the axle and the tongue, substantially as and for'the purposeldescribed.

bolt, and having its other end bearing on the under side of the axle a roller journaled inbearings depending from the axle and holding said end of the spring, and a vertically-adjustable connection uniting said spring with' the pivot of the tongue, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The herein shown and described means for connecting a tongue-supporting spring with the vehicle, consisting of the following elements, in combination: aclevis composed of arms having their upper ends hooked or eyed and their lower ends united by slotted crossbars, a bolt passed through the slots in the crossbars, a nut screwed upon the upper end of the bolt, and an adjustable clip for connecting said spring and bolt, having an oblong v opening in its under side, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

